Metal awning



May 15, 1951 F. F. WHITESIDE METAL AWNING 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 30, 1947 Frank F. Wh/fewb'e Bailey, 5zephen5 (,5 HUQHIZ y 15, 1951' F. F. WI-IIITESIDE 2,553,123

METAL AWNING Filed Sept. 30, 1947 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig.

U 6 lll' g Hp IF mm Frank E Whheskie BcU/ey, fepl7ens, 6 HueHig Patented May 15, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Claims.

This invention is directed to ventilating weather protecting structures and in particular to metal awnings.

In the construction of metal awnings, it is endeavored to achieve shade by obscuring the rays of the sun, to provide a shelter from rain, and at the same time, to permit air circulation for ventilation. The latter requires openings for the passage of air currents through the awning and this is repugnant to the water-proof characteristics of a roof. Many suggested solutions have been made for forming protected openings in an awning, but all seem to fail when a substantial quantity of water falls on the awning during a heavy rain storm, and especially when the rain is accompanied by a high wind which drives the water through the openings formed in the awning for the purpose of ventilation.

An object of this invention is to construct an awning which will permit the passage of air therethrough, and at the same time will prevent the passage of water through the roof even if the same is in the form of a rain driven by a high wind. Further objects of the invention are to construct a weather protecting structure which may be in the form of sheathing, siding, metal tiles, or shingles.

Generally, these are obtained by constructing a covering composed of lapped sheets of metal, the overlapped portions being connected by a member which is provided with ventilating openings protected against the passage of rain water therethrough. The edges of the sheets are formed to provide drip edges and gutterways and the ventilating openings are protected by depending fianges so that the Water falling on the covering is disposed of in one way or another without passing through the ventilating openings.

The means by which the objects of the invention are obtained are more fully described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. l is a perspective view of an awning constructed according to this invention;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of an interior corner construction of the awning;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged perspective View, with portions broken away, of a portion of the awning;

Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the sheet shown in Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view on the line 6-6 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 7 is a cross-sectional view similar to Fig. 6,

2 but showing a modified form of the invention; and

Fig. 8 is a cross-sectional view of a further modified form of the invention.

The assembled awning, as appearing in Fig. 1, consists of a top panel A and side panels B connected by a frame C composed of angle irons screwed or bolted to the top and side panels. A decorative border D may be attached to the lower edge of the awning. The panels A and B are of similar form, the panel B being cut to a triangular shape.

Preferably, the panels are made of a light gauge sheet metal. A flat metal sheet-is folded and rebent upon itself to form courses 2, the overlapped courses giving the sheet a clapboard appearance. These'courses are connected by members 4 extending from the lower forward edge 6 of one course to the upper and back edge 8 of the underneath course. In bending the sheet to form the member 4, the edge 6 is made rather sharp in order to form a drip edge for water draining down from the plane of a course 2, while the upper edge 3 is given a comparativeiy large radius to form a roll back for water which may be blown by the wind beneath the lapping courses. Member 4 is inclined between the upper and lower courses, and forms a relatively sharp angle with the upper course, and a relatively larger angle with the lower course.

Member 4 contains a number of ventilating openings IQ, each of these openings being surrounded by a depending flange l2. Openings it are spaced from the front and back edges of member 4. Flanges l2 may be extruded from the material adjacent the openings I0 or may be separately formed and attached to the circumference of the opening. In any event, the flange descends from the lower surface of member 4 a sufficient distance to prevent a direct entrance of water through openings I0. Consequently the depth of flange 12 depends upon the inclination of member 4 and the diameter of opening Hi. As seen in Figures 3 and 4, water being blown parallel to the upper surface of a course 2 cannot pass directly through an opening ii]. In Figures 3 to 6, these openings are shown to be circular, but they may be elliptical openings Illa surrounded by elliptical flanges [2a, as indicated in Figure 7. Flanges I2 in Figure 4 are perpendicular to the plane of member 4. However, the outward portion on the flange on the weather side of the opening is the one which essentially provides a barrier against the passage of water through the opening, and this portion of the flange may be elongated as shown by the flange 12b in Figure 8. In this case flange 12b extends at other than a right angle to the plane of member 4, and as shown in Figure 8, extends vertically.

The metal sheet constructed as above described functions very effectively as a protection against rain, while at the same time it provides adequate ventilation. As water falls on the courses 2, it drains downwardly over the edges 6, each edge by being fairly sharp having a tendency to cause drops of water to break off and fall on the lower course instead of rolling around the edge and down on the lower face of member 4. Any water which does drain around onto the lower face of member 4 is stopped from entering the openings in by the protecting flanges l2, and water collecting on the. lower relatively sharp edges of flanges l2 will readily drop off and drain down onto the lower course. Consequently, incidental drainage will not pass through openings I2 to the underside of the awning.

When rain is being driven by a wind, drops' of water are blown offedge 6 and the lower edge of flanges [2, but are prevented from passing through the openings H) by flanges l2, and instead are driven against the curved edge 8, where the water collects and drains down the surface of the lower course; Because the flange l2- surrounds each opening to, the opening is protected against the passage of water no matter from which direction the wind blows. If, during violent gusts of rain, some water piles up beneath flange 4- and is sprayed through the openings ID, the same for the most part will collect on the under surface of the upper course 2 and drain down intothe gutter formed on the inside of lower edge 6, and from there drain into the sides of the awning where it will drip to the ground. In any event, substantially no water, or even a mist, will appear beneath the awning during a violent tropical storm.

The entrance of water through the openings I is further prevented by the fact that while it is raining the air beneath the awning is hotter, andlighter than, the air being cooled by the rain. Consequently, there is normally a passage of air from beneath the awning up and outwardly through the openings II), this current of air being opposed to the currents of air which would drive water from the outside through the awning.

A further feature of the awning lies in the fact that a substantial amount oflight passes through openings l0 if the awning is made of a light reflecting material, or painted with alight reflecting material such as awhite paint. Nomatter from which angle light comes, it is reflected fromthe upper surface of a course 2 through the openings l0 and then reflected to below the awning from the under surface of each course 2 respectively. While no measurements have been made of the amount of light reflected through, awnings constructed. according to this invention thus are illuminated on their under surfaces by light reflected from the outside, and provide a fairly bright overhead covering.

The awning satisfies along sought need for a covering which provides ventilation as well as shelter from the elements. When constructed of a weather enduring material, such as aluminum, it requires no maintenance. During hard-driving tropical storms, Where the rain is blown almost horizontally, and as the wind shifts and strikes the awning from every direction, scarcely a discernible mist appears beneath the awning. At the same time, the hot air collected beneath is exhausted through theawning. This ventilation also takes place during dry spells and during light rains, thus providing shade and comfort to all those who have sought its shelter. As indicated by the vertical position of side panels 13, the invention is also useful as siding or sheathiiig for buildings. Furthermore small units can be made in the formof metal tiles or shingles.

Having now described the means by which the objects of the invention are obtained,

I claim:

1. A ventilating weather protecting structure comprising a plurality of longitudinally elongated flat course members, the lower marginal edge portion of one course member overlapping and being spaced from the upper marginal por-'- tion of an adjacent course member to form a drip edge, a connecting member inclined be tween the lower marginal edge of the upper course member and the upper marginal edge of the lower course member, said connecting member being integral with said upper and lower edges and joined thereto by acute. angle folds in the material forming said members, a plurality of apertures in said connecting member, each aperture being spaced from said upper and lower edges, and a flange depending from the periphery of each aperture a distance such that a line lying in a plane parallel to the surface of the lower course member and tangent to the lower edge of said flange will not pass through said aperture.

2. A ventilating structure as in claim 1, said connecting member comprising a flat planar member extending between said upper and lower edges.

3. A ventilating structure as in claim 2, said lower marginal portion of the upper course mem ber lapping approximately one-fourth of the lower course member.

4. A ventilating structure as in claim 1-, said apertures being of circular shape.

5. A ventilating structure as in claim 1, said apertures being elliptical in shape with the major axis of the opening parallelingsaid lower edge.-

FRANK' F. WHITESIDE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

